Sun Ra performing with his Arkestra. Footage from the documentary “Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise” by Robert Mugge. | The Jazz Estate

Sun Ra introducing himself and explaining why he is real. Footage from the film “Space Is The Place” by John Coney. | The Jazz Estate

Remembering the great Sun Ra who was born on this day in 1914. Known for its innovative instrumentation and the theatricality of its performances, Ra led “The Arkestra”, an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up. The Arkestra, which included dancers, dressed in fantastical costumes inspired by ancient Egyptian attire and the space age, and Sun Ra conducted while wearing flowing robes and futuristic helmets. He was highly regarded for his atonal solos on synthesizer, an instrume

Sun Ra Arkestra LIVE at Jazz Is Dead — March 3 🔮 Enter the astral plane as the Arkestra descend upon Los Angeles this March at Lodge Room Highland Park. For more than 60 years, the Arkestra has existed beyond earthly boundaries — bending jazz, ritual, and Afrofuturist philosophy into a sound that feels both ancient and otherworldly. Their performances unfold like transmissions from another dimension: swirling harmonies, pulsing rhythms, cosmic chants, and fearless improvisation. Sound becomes n